Source:  USDA, 8/16/21


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced the 2022 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) application Deadline of October 29,2021, for farms and private landowners to be considered for available funding.

NRCS accepts EQIP applications year-round but makes funding selections at specific times during the fiscal year. NRCS is encouraging producers and private landowners to submit their applications as soon as possible to meet the October 29,2021, deadline for funding consideration. NRCS provided approximately $26 million in EQIP funding to eligible North Carolina farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and private landowners in fiscal year 2021.

"NRCS works hard to help eligible farmers and private landowners plan and carry our conservation practices that can benefit all North Carolina's residents by providing clean air and water, healthy, and productive forests, and healthy soils," said Timothy Beard, state conservationist for NRCS in North Carolina. "EQIP provided crucial funding to help producers carry out these practices on their agricultural lands."

EQIP, a voluntary conservation program, promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. This program is available to eligible producers and landowners and offers financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural management practices on private lands that deliver environmental benefits, such as improved water quality and reduced soil erosion. Eligible land includes cropland, pastureland, and nonindustrial private forestland.

To learn more about financial and technical assistance available to help North Carolina farmers and other landowners improve their land, visit NRCS in North Carolina's website as www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov, or visit you local NRCS office. USDA service center locations are listed at http://offices.usda.gov.